Homelessness (Hansard, 11 December 1989)

§ Mr. Grist

Homelessness returns were reviewed and extended in 1987 to provide a wider range of information on homelessness in the Principality. Additional guidance was given to local authorities to improve consistency in their recording practices and further consideration may be given to the return in the light of the measures I am introducing to tackle homelessness.

It is essential that vigorous efforts should be maintained to help those who are entitled to assistance in securing a home under part III of the Housing Act 1985, in Wales as elsewhere. The Act remains important as a long-stop measure to help people in need who have become homeless through no fault of their own. This was implicit in the recent review of homelessness legislation.

In large part, the review deals with the situation arising in London and the south-east of England. In Wales, the pressures are comparatively less intense. Detailed statistical information on homelessness in the Principality is given in section 7 of "Welsh Housing Statistics, No. 9, 1989"—a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. These data show that the problems associated with homelessness vary in extent between districts. They are not 481W confined to any one specific area: they should certainly be considered together with wider issues in the development of effective housing strategies, both locally and at the all-Wales level. Indeed, in that context, the review makes some very important comments on lessons and conclusions for the future. I hope that all those concerned with housing in the Principality will take note of them. Arrangements have already been made for copies of the review to be distributed widely in Wales. But as regards substantive action, we shall: carry out a separate consultation in Wales on measures of guidance for local authorities, to secure a better, more consistent service for homeless people in Wales under the Housing Act 1985; as announced, allow for an increase in gross provision of £30 million for local authority capital expenditure on housing in the next financial year, with no limit on expenditure for certain home renovation grants, against the £197 million in 1989–90. This increased provision will be of general assistance to local authorities, not least in carrying out their statutory responsibilities in securing accommodation for homeless people, in close liaison with all housing providers, whilst taking account of their own local needs and priorities.

We shall also encourage local authorities to make use of a new cash incentive scheme to help council tenants buy homes elsewhere, so releasing homes to let to the homeless —details of the scheme will be announced very soon—and introduce new measures to assist local authorities to build on improvements they have already made in the management of their own stock, for example over the management of "voids" in Wales, to enhance customer care, to target resources still more effectively and to develop partnership arrangements for the provision of homes for homeless people. The impetus for this work has been given by the "quality circle initiative" sponsored by the Secretary of State and the Council of Welsh Districts. It will take account of recently published studies on good practice in housing management, including those of the Audit Commission, and will include consultation with local authorities on the introduction of performance indicators, and on the development and refinement of operationally useful data. It will be supported by an increase of over 30 per cent. in funding for my Department's successful management education and training programmes which benefit all housing providers—and for which the budget will substantially exceed three quarters of a million pounds for the first time in 1990–91.

We shall ensure that additional weighting is given to practical schemes to alleviate homelessness in approving bids for the urban programme 1990–91—a sum of around £1 million will be released by that route next year—and assist housing associations to extend substantially their current commitment to tackling homelessness. Provision for Housing for Wales has been raised by some £27 million for 1990–91—an increase of 40 per cent. compared with 1989–90. This will stimulate a major increase in the provision of dwellings for which homeless families will be eligible. Housing for Wales is already working with local authorities to devise joint strategies to deal with the most pressing priorities within each district. The next step is to secure nomination arrangements to help local authorities in getting homeless families housed. Housing for Wales will be monitoring the performance of housing associations in realising the benefits of this significant new approach.

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We shall pursue the possibility of introducing a cash incentive scheme to help housing association tenants move into the private sector, thereby releasing those properties to let for homeless families, and substantially increase the planned availability of central funding for those voluntary organisations in Wales that have the capacity to be of real help in dealing with homelessness. Next year we shall significantly more than double the £143,000 made available to this sector in 1989–90. In addition, my officials will initiate discussions with voluntary bodies about the best way of building upon the wide range of high-quality services that these organisations already provide—especially in matching those who need accommodation with those who can offer it, for example through the organisation of lodging schemes in co-operation with local authorities.

We shall ensure that special attention is paid to the needs of Wales in relation to the development of a comprehensive advice service for people in the early stages of housing problems, and initiate further discussions on the implementation of the new structure for promoting mobility between local authority and housing association sectors within the Principality.

We shall also give priority to issues of homelessness in deploying resources available from the Department's housing top slice. For the coming financial year, £2 million has been set aside. Bids will be invited in advance of the HSIP round for 1990–91. This will extend the arrangement made for 1989–90 involving the allocation of around £1 million for areas experiencing particular difficulties.

I am confident that, taken together, these measures will be of very considerable assistance in dealing constructively with issues of homelessness within the Principality both now and for the future. At a time when we in Wales have a growing population and increasing numbers of households—when indeed, we have more people, better housed than ever before, for the most part in their own homes, it is all the more essential that we tackle homelessness positively and with the utmost care.